A monumental portrait of King Jamshid (detail), signed by Mihr ‘Ali, Persia, Qajar, dated 1218 AH/1803 AD. Oil on canvas, mounted on a stretcher, annotated 'Jamshid' in Persian at middle left in nasta'liq script, signed at lower edge 'raqm-i kamtarin Mihr 'Ali, 1218', framed; 302 by 145cm. Est. £250,000-350,000. Photo Sotheby's
LONDON - As part of London’s annual Indian and Islamic Week, which runs from 2 to 7 October, Sotheby’s Arts of the Islamic World auction will offer an exquisite array of almost 230 treasures. Bringing together manuscripts, paintings and works of art created under Islamic patronage over eleven centuries, the objects will be on show at Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries from 2 to 6 October followed by the auction on 7 October 2015.
Highlights include a rediscovered monumental early 19th-century Persian portrait of King Jamshid, the original plans and drawings of the first Saudi extension to The Prophet’s Holy Mosque in Medina, two rare Ottoman tombak sections of armour and a monumental Mamluk Qur’an dating to fourteenth-century Egypt.
A monumental portrait of King Jamshid, signed by Mihr ‘Ali, Persia, Qajar, dated 1218 AH/1803 AD. Oil on canvas, mounted on a stretcher, annotated 'Jamshid' in Persian at middle left in nasta'liq script, signed at lower edge 'raqm-i kamtarin Mihr 'Ali, 1218', framed; 302 by 145cm. Estimate £250,000-350,000. Photo Sotheby's
This magnificent and highly important portrait of the celebrated mythical Persian King is to be offered on the market for the first time – an exciting rediscovery from a set of royal paintings made for the Imarat-i-Sadri Palace in Isfahan, thought to have been lost until 1985. Of monumental size, this work is an archetypal example of the extensive canon of life-size portraits executed by the famed court painter, Mihr ‘Ali, whose works were commissioned by the ruling monarch Fath ‘Ali Shah. The beautifully executed portrait of this renowned character of Persian folklore and tradition encapsulates courtly splendour of the reign of the Qajar dynasty, during which Persian arts were given a platform to flourish.
Fahmy Moemen Bey. The complete extant archive of original architectural plans and drawings for the first Saudi extension to The Prophet’s Holy Mosque in Medina, 1951-55, together with the architect’s personal collection of photographs documenting the building project, visits by royalty, heads of state and other distinguished visitors. 52 architectural pen and ink drawings, plans and sketches, 14 signed by the architect, 43 on waxed linen and 9 on tracing paper, together with 2 printed scale maps of Medina and Mecca, and 215 vintage photographs, various sizes. The drawings range in size from 35 by 60cm. to 106 by 240cm. Estimate £500,000 — 700,000. Photo Sotheby's
An important and unique architectural archive of drawings and photographs of the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, will be offered for the first time, with an estimate of £500,000-700,000. These designs, dating from 1951-55, built on the very origins of Islamic architecture, namely the construction of the first mosque on the site in Medina by The Prophet Muhammad in 622 AD, and were the first major Saudi development to the Prophet’s Mosque. Fahmy Moemen Bey, the chief architect for the project, was selected by King Abdul-Aziz, after a commission for plans to be submitted. Today, his designs are part of the urban fabric of cities in Saudi Arabia, Syria and in his birthplace of Cairo.
A leaf from Emperor Akbar's royal copy of the Jami al-Tawarikh of Rashid al-Din Fazlullah Hamadani (d.1318 AD): Burghul Nuyan killed on the battlefield, attributed to Basawan and Bhim Gujarati, India, Mughal, circa 1596; gouache heightened with gold on paper, gold and coloured ruled borders, the reverse with 25 lines of nasta'liqscript in black and red, mounted on an album page with buff borders, nasta'liq inscriptions along the lower edge with artists' attributions and the number '22' in Arabic numerals, owner's stamp to lower margin of reverse; painting: 33.2 by 19.3cm; leaf: 36 by 25cm. Estimate £60,000 — 80,000. Photo Sotheby's.
The Jami al-Tawarikh or 'History of the World' was originally compiled by Rashid al-Din in 1310 AD and was divided into four sections – the first of which provides a description of the Mongol and Turkish tribes focusing on Genghis Khan and his ancestors and successors (known as the ‘Cingiznameh’). This leaf, from Emperor Akbar’s imperial Mughal manuscript of circa 1596, demonstrates the important court artist Basawan's aptitude for portraiture, his rendering of all the faces are sensitively observed showing his awareness and understanding of European art. Basawan was a master at creating spatial depth and movement and his compositions were both dramatic and perfectly balanced. In this lot, a dramatic battle scene is unfolding, a mass of bodies tumbling diagonally across the picture plane.
The painting is in superb condition, and comes from the collection of Joel Spitz (d.1963), Glencoe, Illinois, and has not been seen on the market since the 1940s.
Property from the Collection of Theron J. Damon
Two lots from the collection of Theron J. Damon (d.1973), who specialised in matters of the Near East and travelled extensively in Turkey, formed part of the first exhibition dedicated to Turkish history, held at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, in 1954.
The highlight of these works is an Ottoman talismanic shirt from 1583 (est. £60,000-80,000). Intended for an official of high rank, this striking talismanic shirt is of the highest quality, its original bold colours and bright gold highlight its strong geometric design centred on quotations from the Qur’an, prayers and invocations, offering the promise of protection to its wearer.
An Ottoman talismanic shirt (tilsimli gomlek), Turkey, dated 991 AH/1583 AD; the cotton shirt covered with extracts from the Qur'an, prayers and talismanic numbers written in a variety of scripts and colours, arranged in medallions, squares, panels and cartouches of various shapes and sizes above a band with gilt scrolling foliate design, old Worcester Art Museum label to hem: 11154.3 and tag at sleeve: 40.1349; 87 by 113cm. Estimate £60,000 — 80,000. Photo Sotheby's.
A rare Ottoman tombak breast plate (krug), Turkey, 16th-17th century, comprising a central round shield embossed with a series of narrow ribs radiating from a central boss, with punched decorative motifs around edge, the three outer protective plates held together with chain mail between, each with punched foliate arabesque motifs, Eirene mark bottom right, fitted on a modern bespoke stand, 44 by 40cm. Estimate £180,000 — 220,000. Photo Sotheby's.
This exceptionally rare tombak breast-plate (krug) is testament to the grandeur, wealth and glory of the Ottoman imperial army - whose visual splendour would have equalled if not surpassed its physical might. Composed primarily of copper alloy, a metal too soft to have been of serious use in battle, this piece most likely belonged to a member of the ceremonial janissary guard of the vizier or even the Sultan himself.
Iznik Pottery
A rare Iznik 'Damascus' style pottery dish, Turkey, circa 1540 (est. £70,000-100,000) leads a selection of extraordinary Iznik pottery – one of the wonders of enabled by the courtly patronage emanating from Istanbul during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. Traditionally referred to as ‘Damascus Style’, this dish belongs to a small group of similar ceramics featuring a palette of sage or olive green, cobalt blue, and pastel pink colours with black outlines with a dominant floral design – the rarest and finest made group of Iznik design.
A rare Iznik 'Damascus' style pottery dish, Turkey, circa 1540; of rounded form with flattened, everted rim, painted in cobalt blue, sage green and light manganese purple outlined in black with a design with a large carnation, rosette stems, and hyacinths issuing from a leafy tuft, the rim with groups of buds alternating with one cintamani motif, the underside with three-budded motif between triple spots; 32cm. Estimate £180,000 — 220,000. Photo Sotheby's.
An elegant Safavid brass astrolabe, signed by the celebrated craftsman Muhammad Khalil Ibn Hasan 'Ali, and decorated by Muhammad Mahdi al-Yazdi, Persia, Isfahan, dated 1085 AH/1674-75 AD; cast brass, hammered and engraved with elaborately designed cusped throne, containing six plates and a finely designed foliate rete, small bird-head terminal holding the pin with the large alidade in place, two hooks at top with suspension cord; 18 by 14.5cm. Estimate £150,000-250,000. Photo Sotheby's.
A magnificent Ottoman tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl box, Turkey, circa 1640; of octagonal form on arched feet with fitted, gabled lid, decorated with tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl sections organised in a cintamani design with ivory borders; 30.5 by 18.5cm. Estimate £70,000 — 100,000. Photo Sotheby's.